Mysterious air pollution in south China linked to volcanic emissions from the Philippines
Abstract A mysterious air pollution event occurred in south China on April 1–2, 2024, despite the prevailing southerly airflow that is typically associated with clean air. Here, we identified the source of this event using a multi-scale data system that combines large-scale monitoring and modeling d...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02073-y |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1823861592700223488 |
|---|---|
| author | Changqing Lin Jian Zhen Yu Eddie Lee Pak-Wai Chan Jackie Wai-Yin Ng Ying-Wa Chan Tianshu Zhang Yiang Chen Hanzhe Chen Zijing Zhang Samuel Ho-Kwong Chui Jimmy C. H. Fung Wenqing Liu Alexis K. H. Lau |
| author_facet | Changqing Lin Jian Zhen Yu Eddie Lee Pak-Wai Chan Jackie Wai-Yin Ng Ying-Wa Chan Tianshu Zhang Yiang Chen Hanzhe Chen Zijing Zhang Samuel Ho-Kwong Chui Jimmy C. H. Fung Wenqing Liu Alexis K. H. Lau |
| author_sort | Changqing Lin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract A mysterious air pollution event occurred in south China on April 1–2, 2024, despite the prevailing southerly airflow that is typically associated with clean air. Here, we identified the source of this event using a multi-scale data system that combines large-scale monitoring and modeling data with advanced measurements of aerosol chemical compositions in Hong Kong. Large-scale satellite measurements and chemical transport modeling detected the transboundary transport of a volcanic plume originating from the Taal volcano in the Philippines. Unusually high levels of sulfate (reaching 75% of fine particulate matter) and phosphorus (up to 93 ng/m³) in Hong Kong supported this finding. These analyses prompted the development of a real-time chemical-wind index to identify the occurrence of air pollution associated with volcanic emissions. Our results highlight the value of integrating multi-scale real-time data capabilities to promptly attribute air pollution events to their sources and protect at-risk populations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cddd9c979b144c959bb50837c4802b49 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-cddd9c979b144c959bb50837c4802b492025-02-09T12:55:59ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-02-01611510.1038/s43247-025-02073-yMysterious air pollution in south China linked to volcanic emissions from the PhilippinesChangqing Lin0Jian Zhen Yu1Eddie Lee2Pak-Wai Chan3Jackie Wai-Yin Ng4Ying-Wa Chan5Tianshu Zhang6Yiang Chen7Hanzhe Chen8Zijing Zhang9Samuel Ho-Kwong Chui10Jimmy C. H. Fung11Wenqing Liu12Alexis K. H. Lau13Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of SciencesDivision of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyEnvironmental Protection Department, Hong Kong Government SARHong Kong Observatory, Hong Kong Government SAREnvironmental Protection Department, Hong Kong Government SARHong Kong Observatory, Hong Kong Government SARAnhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of SciencesDivision of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyDivision of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyDivision of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyEnvironmental Protection Department, Hong Kong Government SARDivision of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyAnhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of SciencesDivision of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyAbstract A mysterious air pollution event occurred in south China on April 1–2, 2024, despite the prevailing southerly airflow that is typically associated with clean air. Here, we identified the source of this event using a multi-scale data system that combines large-scale monitoring and modeling data with advanced measurements of aerosol chemical compositions in Hong Kong. Large-scale satellite measurements and chemical transport modeling detected the transboundary transport of a volcanic plume originating from the Taal volcano in the Philippines. Unusually high levels of sulfate (reaching 75% of fine particulate matter) and phosphorus (up to 93 ng/m³) in Hong Kong supported this finding. These analyses prompted the development of a real-time chemical-wind index to identify the occurrence of air pollution associated with volcanic emissions. Our results highlight the value of integrating multi-scale real-time data capabilities to promptly attribute air pollution events to their sources and protect at-risk populations.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02073-y |
| spellingShingle | Changqing Lin Jian Zhen Yu Eddie Lee Pak-Wai Chan Jackie Wai-Yin Ng Ying-Wa Chan Tianshu Zhang Yiang Chen Hanzhe Chen Zijing Zhang Samuel Ho-Kwong Chui Jimmy C. H. Fung Wenqing Liu Alexis K. H. Lau Mysterious air pollution in south China linked to volcanic emissions from the Philippines Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Mysterious air pollution in south China linked to volcanic emissions from the Philippines |
| title_full | Mysterious air pollution in south China linked to volcanic emissions from the Philippines |
| title_fullStr | Mysterious air pollution in south China linked to volcanic emissions from the Philippines |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mysterious air pollution in south China linked to volcanic emissions from the Philippines |
| title_short | Mysterious air pollution in south China linked to volcanic emissions from the Philippines |
| title_sort | mysterious air pollution in south china linked to volcanic emissions from the philippines |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02073-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT changqinglin mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines AT jianzhenyu mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines AT eddielee mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines AT pakwaichan mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines AT jackiewaiyinng mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines AT yingwachan mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines AT tianshuzhang mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines AT yiangchen mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines AT hanzhechen mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines AT zijingzhang mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines AT samuelhokwongchui mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines AT jimmychfung mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines AT wenqingliu mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines AT alexiskhlau mysteriousairpollutioninsouthchinalinkedtovolcanicemissionsfromthephilippines |